Washington farmers to harvest less winter wheat and barley, more spring wheat and hay
Washington Ag Today July 1, 2009 The June Planted Acreage report issued by USDA’s Agricultural Statistics Service Tuesday says Washington farmers will harvest about 80-thousand fewer acres of winter wheat this summer compared to 2008. However, Linda Simpson with the Washington Field Office of the Statistics Service, says spring wheat acres in the state are up. Simpson: “At 595-thousand acres spring wheat for harvest this summer is expected to be 18% above the 2008 crop. The is the highest level since 2001 when 600-thousand acres were cut.” The Statistics Service attributes some of the increase in spring wheat acreage to replanting of poor stands of winter wheat that failed due to low moisture or winterkill. Simpson says Washington barley acreage continues to decline. Simpson: “Barley acres for at 110-thousand acres are down almost 40% from the 2008 crop.” The Statistics Service also estimated hay acreage. Simpson: “After a disappointing crop last year a total of 840-thousand acres of hay will be cut in the state this year, 18% above last year. Harvested acres of both alfalfa and other hay are above last year’s level.” Planted acres of field corn in Washington increased five-thousand acres from 2008 but harvested acres of corn for grain is unchanged from last year at 90-thousand acres, with the remaining 80-thousand acres being harvested for silage. New yield forecasts for this year’s grain crops will be issued July 10th. I’m Bob Hoff and that’s Washington Ag Today on the Northwest Ag Information Network. ?
